NORMAN, Okla. -- University of Oklahoma head women’s tennis coach David Mullins announced the signing of blue chip recruit Nicole Long for the 2011-2012 season.

“We are all extremely excited that Nicole has signed with OU,” Mullins said. “The improvements Nicole has made in her game over the last 12 months have been nothing short of phenomenal. She has a very well balanced game and a great temperament for tennis. We have no doubt she will be very successful on and off the court during her four years at the University of Oklahoma.”

Long, the first blue chip recruit in OU women’s tennis history, is currently ranked No. 24 nationally by TennisRecruiting.net, No. 1 in the state of Texas and No. 2 in the Gulf States.

“Nicole’s signing says a great deal about how far this program has come in the last couple of years,” Mullins said. “She can see the potential in what we are trying to achieve here and knows that she will be a key part in helping this program reach its goals.

“I cannot wait to get to work with Nicole on a daily basis as she has a strong desire to keep improving during her college years,” Mullins added. “She is very talented and makes the sport of tennis look easy at times which should make her a favorite of the Sooner tennis fans.”

Long is from Plano, Texas, where she trains at the T Bar M Tennis Academy and will graduate from Spring Creek Academy in the spring of 2011.

“Off the court, Nicole is laid-back and a lot of fun, so I have no doubt she is going to fit in very well with the rest of this group,” Mullins said.